Year 2, Day 112: The Maidens

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 111. Today's recommended book is:The Maidens by Alex Michaelides.

In this book by the author of The Silent Patient Alex Michaelides brings together a tightly bound psychological thriller with Greek mythology , murder , and obsession all set against the backdrop of the academic haven of Cambridge, England.

Students are being killed in bizarre ways to mimicking Greek Tragedies. When Mariana returns to her alma mater to comfort her niece the brilliant but troubled group therapist finds herself intrigued and embroiled in the mystery. Is it the handsome Greek tragedy professor ? Is it a support staff member at the colleges ? Is it someone completely unrelated - maybe even from Mariana's circle ? You won't be able to put the book down until you find out.

This book is 352 pages, currently available in hardcover and audio book with the hardcover selling for $27.99 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours, order through our website , or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you.

Year 2, Day 111 : A Year in the Garden

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 110. Today's recommended book is:A Year in the Garden : A Monthly Gardening Guide for the Gulf South which is a project by the folks at the Magnolia Mound Plantation .

People often ask me if we have a garden book specific to our area and while we carry several that are about our region ( The Southeast, or Louisiana as a whole ) with a home base right in Baton Rouge as far as what to do and what to plant when this is probably the closest we get - Magnolia Mound is just 33 miles from the bookstore after all.

This book is arranged first with a section for each month telling you what you should be planting, what you should be cutting back, what to cultivate in your meeting each month and even giving you a list of plants that will do well in our area each month. There is even a handy guide that tells you how many bedding plants you will need to buy per square foot of garden bed to give a really lush, full appearance . After the month by month section there are lots more information including blom timing charts for different trees, shrubs, vines etc so you can visually see what is in bloom each month and plant your gardens accordingly. This is really an necessary guide for gardeners in our area.

The book was originally published in 1989 with the current edition being completed in 2007. The current book is a spiral bound softcover that sells for $14.95 a copy.

Year 2, Day 110 : Maker Rebirth

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 109. Today's recommended book is:Maker Rebirth by J K Lawson.

J K Lawnson is a poet and an artist so it should come as no surprise that this oversized 'coffee table" style book is a collection of poems each matched with a piece of his artwork.

Some of the artwork was started while Lawson was living and creating in New Orleans and Baton Rouge around the time of hurricane Katrina . As I understand it the project came together at a time when Lawson had returned to the United Kingdom to revisit his childhood home and ended up become an artist in residence at a place called Maker in Cornwall, England.

The combination of artwork and poetry are magical. If you have ever had the privilege to see Mr. Lawson's work or to hear him read his poetry (perhaps when he joined us for a very well attended reading at The Conundrum a few years ago) then you know what a special talent he possesses.

This hardcover collection currently sells for $45.00 a copy and we have copies signed by JK Lawson.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours, order through our website , or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you.

Year 2, Day 109 : The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 108. Today's recommended book is:The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Scwab.

This was a different kind of novel for me. Addie LaRue lives in the French countryside in the late 1600's where she leads a quiet but happy life. As she grows up she longs to see more of the world . Unfortunately this desire does not jibe with an arranged marriage to someone in her village and she finds herself desperate to escape. I won't give away the entire plot but she does end up making a deal with the devil which gives her her freedom but at a great price. The basic price is that no one can ever remember her after she is out of their vision for even a moment. That she is utterly forgettable. The book was well done and enjoyable to read. If I had one complaint I felt there was an overuse of the word "palimpsest". The first time I came across it in the book I kind of felt like I knew the general idea of what it meant and from context that seemed correct so I kept on reading. Well then it was used at least 6 more times, which both irritated and intrigued me , so of course I had to look it up for a more full definition, which was interesting but I still think the word - while appropriate - was completely overused. Okay, rant over - I enjoyed the book and found the premise interesting and (wait for it) unforgettable.

The book is currently available in hardcover selling for $26.99 a copy.

Year 2, Day 108: The Week in Review June 28 - July 4 , 2021.

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 107. The Week in Review June 28 - July 4 , 2021.

Happy Independence Day Everyone ! Thanks for joining us again this week as we sent out new book recommendations out to you.

This week I recommended a variety of books including : the new book by C H Lawler - The Burden of Cane, a new book in the young adult Selection series - The Betrayed. A couple of old books in new bindings in Emma by Jane Austen and The Alchemist by Paula Coelho. Then it was on to a cookbook / coffee table book - Southern Seasons by the team of St John and Waters , and we wrapped up with a very Silly Lullaby by Sandra Boynton .

If you missed any of these reviews and want to read what I had to say about them you can see all of our Chatting Books Online picks by visiting our website at: http://www.conundrumbooks.com/chatting-books-online .

We still (and always will going forward) offer shipping if you cannot make it to the store. Or just stop by the shop during or normal hours . See you soon !

Year 2 , Day 107 : Silly Lullaby

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 106. Today's recommended book is: Silly Lullaby by Sandra Boynton.

This is just the silliest lullaby all about chickens in the bathtub, a closet full of sheep, and sneakers in the freezer that are drifting off to sleep - and other such fibblety - fitsy foo nonsense. So , in short, an absolute tongue twisting delight.

This board book sells for just $5.99 a copy .

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours, order through our website , or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you.

Year 2 , Day 106 : The Burden of Cane

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 105. Today's recommended book is the Hot off the Presses new book by C H Lawler: The Burden of Cane.

In 1915, a widow arranges for the acclaimed English spiritualist and medium Gloria Osborne Leonard to come to Louisiana to contact her husband who was recently killed in the fields of their sugar plantation. The widow had something very important she needs to ask her late husband.

On a ship leaving America for England, a man with an eyepatch stands at the railing and throws something into the ocean. An Irish priest traveling onboard is watching and strikes up a conversation with the man and agrees to hear his confession. As they go into the warmth of the ship's cabin, the priest realizes that the thing the one-eyed man threw in the ocean was a revolver.

The Burden of Cane is the story of a society woman with a scandalous past, a West Point trained engineer with a future in ruins, a boy's promise to his dying father, and a bitter rivalry that ends in death.

Dr . Lawler's newest book is a paperback, 470 pages long and is currently selling for $20.00 a copy.

Dr. Lawler will be visiting with us at The Conundrum on July 16 to launch this new book with a discussion and book signing.

Year 2, Day 105: The Alchemist

Chatting Books Online Year 2, Day 105. I think today is a good day to look back at what we recommended a year ago today to see if it stands the test of time and if I would recommend it again today . So last year on July 1 I recommended the following and the answer is yes - still recommend ! Chatting Books Online Day 109 . Today I want to recommend The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This mystical little book is the story of Santiago an Andalusian boy who sets out on a journey to find treasures and ends up teaching us so many lessons not the least of which is to always follow our dreams .

In the 32 years since it was originally published this book has appeared on The New York Times Best Sellers List no less than 315 times ! It has been translated into 80 languages making it the most translated book by any living author . At only 208 pages it is not a long book and you will get so much out of these pages but the simplicity of the book and the story is part of it’s beauty and it’s message.

We carry the book in paperback for $16.99 a copy .